The Delinquent Road Hazards
by DrewsterHotRod
Summary: A story of the friendships and relationships of the tuners from Cars.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The road stretched out lazily across the desert southwest. The midday sun beat down on the tuned black Pontiac Firebird as she made her way down the ribbon of quiet highway.

"I haven't been down Route 66 in a long time," she thought. "But I gotta stop and get some oil soon."

A road sign appeared in the distance. Drewster squinted to read the sign. It read: Radiator Springs – 3 miles.

"Cool! I've heard of that place."

Drewster downshifted and slowed into town. It was bustling with noon-time activity, and she pulled off the road into Flo's V8 Cafe. A pale green 1957 show car with huge tail fins approached.

"Hey, Hon. What can I get you?" Flo asked enthusiastically.

"I just need a quart of oil. This heat's makin' me run a little hot," Drewster replied. She was enjoying the quart of oil when the sound of arguing made her turn to look.

"What the heck kind of crazy cause are you supporting now, Fillmore?" A crusty old Willys military jeep barked at a psychedelic VW bus, who was holding a stack or brochures.

Drewster chuckled to herself. Another uproar caught her attention. Four young highly modified cars were pulling a road paving machine down a side street. They were covered in tar and loudly cursing each other, the town, the sheriff, and anything else they could think of. At the far end of the line, an orange Plymouth 'Cuda with a huge blower sneezed and grabbed Drewster's attention.

"Wow!" she thought and smiled. "Check out that hunky hot rod!" She finished her oil and approached Flo to pay.

"Excuse me, ma'am. What happened to those four?" Drewster motioned toward the tuners.

"Oh you know, honey, they were speeding through town, and they were sentenced to community service," Flo answered. "I hope they learn their lesson." She returned to the counter.

Drewster cruised over to the opposite side of the street from the paving operation and idled for a minute, watching the four boys labor in the hot sun. It was odd. They reminded Drewster of her recent past. Years ago, she learned that her father was an evil car and was hurt and angry. As a way of dealing with the humiliation, she started hanging with street racers back in Los Angeles, and played bass in several of the rock bands that performed at various road rallies and drag races. After a few run ins with the law, mainly for illegal street racing, Drewster decided to leave home. She had hoped to 'find herself' on the lonely stretches of Route 66. Deep in thought, Drewster was unaware that she had not gone unnoticed by the delinquents or the town's doctor.

"Is everything OK here?"

Drewster startled at the sound of a deep voice belonging to a navy blue Hudson Hornet parked alongside of her.

"Do you see yourself in them?" Doc Hudson asked as he looked Drewster over. He had noticed her own modifications; the firebird decal on her hood, the gold flames on her sides, the large rear wing, and her neon light kit.

"Sir, it's a long story," Drewster sighed. "You see, I'm a musician and racer from Los Angeles, and I've been in trouble with the law myself." Drewster found herself confiding in the doctor. "I was hoping to clear my head out here on the road. I feel sorry for those guys though. They remind me of my homies…." She trailed off, lost in thought again.

"Well, their sentence is up at sundown, and they will be asked to leave," Doc replied with a hint of irritation in his voice. "We can't have riff-raff hanging around here!" He turned and drove off, annoyed by the recent invasion of Radiator Springs by delinquent hot rods.

"Hey, yo, baybeee!" A young male voice called, followed by wolf whistles. Drewster turned to see the four cars had stopped pulling the paving machine and were checking her out.

"How 'bout you and me drag tonight?" The 'Cuda winked at Drewster. Her ignition turned over with excitement.

"Right on, Snot Rod!" DJ, the blue Scion xB Sport, nudged the 'Cuda.

"You go, Snotty!" said the green and purple Nissan ricer, who had an impressive stack of spoilers, and was known as Wingo.

"Hey yo, DJ," laughed the violet Dodge Viper, called Boost. "Spin her a tune!"

Just then, the sheriff, who had become aware of the commotion, approached the delinquents with his red beacon flashing.

"All right!" he barked. "That's enough. Get back to work!" The tuners grumbled and resumed their paving job.

Drewster snickered at the funny sight. The four of them, hooked up to a bubbling road paver and covered in tar, were hitting on her.

"Young miss," Sheriff turned to Drewster. "Stay out of trouble yourself," he warned her.

The grin vanished from Drewster's face. "Well, this is it," she thought, finding herself drawn to the four hot rods. "I can't escape the street racer life. It's where I belong."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Later that evening, the four young street racers were released from community service. Sheriff, with the help of rusty tow truck Mater, unhitched them from the paving machine.

"Man, we're filthy," Boost moaned, checking himself with his side view mirrors.

"Yo, sheriff, can we get a wash?" DJ asked.

"I reckon Red can hose you boys down," Sheriff replied. "Come with me."

He led the delinquents to the fire station, where Red, the fire engine, hosed each one off with his high pressure nozzle. The water made Snot Rod sneeze.

"Oh, man, that's better, yo," Wingo sighed, relieved to be clean once again.

"Thanks," Boost said, gratefully.

"Boys, you better stay outta trouble," Sheriff cautioned and drove away. Red nodded and went back into the fire station.

"OK, guys," Boost announced. "We better bounce. This place is weird!"

"Wait!" Snot Rod said as he looked around. "I wanna find that hot little Firebird we met today." He drove off to search for Drewster.

"Ahahahaha!" Wingo laughed and nudged DJ. "Snot's in loooove!"

"Yeah," DJ chuckled. Boost just rolled his eyes and sighed.

Meanwhile, at Flo's, Drewster sipped on a can of oil, and chatted with Ramone, a flashy lowrider and Flo's husband. He had taken an interest in Drewster's paint job and modifications.

"Sweet paint job, man," Ramone remarked. "Some pinstriping would look awesome with that, though."

Drewster thought for a second. "You're right. Maybe on my spoiler or around my fenders. Thanks," she said.

Snot Rod, who had spotted Drewster, slowly pulled into Flo's. He got some odd glances from the other patrons as he cautiously approached Drewster and Ramone.

"Well, well," scoffed Ramone. "One of those punk kids."

"Oh, he's okay, Mr. Ramone," Drewster said.

"Okay, man. Let me know if you want the work done," Ramone said as he drove away, leaving Drewster and SnotRod alone.

"Um, hi," Snot Rod grinned sheepishly. "My name is Snot Rod."

"Hi!" Drewster giggled. "That's a funny name. I'm Drewster."

Snot Rod looked at the ground and nervously scuffled his front tire on the pavement. "It's 'cause I sneeze a lot." He paused and tried to muster up courage. "Wanna go drag?"

"You're kinda shy away from the others, aren't you?" Drewster asked, grinning. Snot Rod averted his eyes, embarrassed. His friends had followed him and were parked across the street from Flo's.

"HOOYAH!" Wingo called. "Go, Snotty!"

"Score! Score! Score!" Boost and DJ chanted in unison. Snot Rod blushed at the taunts.

"Shaddup, guys!" he yelled back at them. They responded with laughter.

"Your cheering squad?" Drewster asked, trying not to laugh at the embarrassed 'Cuda.

"Let's get outta here," Snot Rod said and he and Drewster drove away.

Wingo's eyes widened. "Let's follow 'em," he suggested.

"Man, you are SUCH a voyeur!" Boost snorted and rolled his eyes.

DJ agreed. "No way. Let's leave Snot Rod alone."

Much later, in an abandoned garage at the edge of town, Drewster and Snot Rod rested after an evening of racing each other.

"That was some awesome dragging out there!" Snot Rod exclaimed. "You're amazing!"

"You're not so bad yerself!" Drewster said with a wink. "But I let you win, you know."

SnotRod circled Drewster slowly. "Really?" he asked with a sly grin, and circled a little closer. "And thanks for the allergy medicine. It's nice not to be sneezing so much."

"You're welcome," Drewster replied, as the two cars ended up face to face, just inches from each other. "I was watching you work all day."

"I know." Snot Rod moved in a little closer.

"I think you're hot," Drewster whispered, and their lips meet in a kiss. They lingered for a bit, their eyes closed.

"Wow," Drewster said, breathlessly. "That was nice."

They shared another kiss, which led to a pairing the two find incredible. But they were interrupted when the garage door suddenly swung open. In the doorway stood Boost, Wingo and DJ, all of whom wore a wide-eyed look of disbelief.

"Uhhh," DJ began, but fell speechless.

"FUCK!" Wingo's jaw dropped open.

Snot Rod, annoyed, yelled at his friends to shut the door and leave, which they did reluctantly.

"Sorry, man," Boost apologized.

"Wonder what they wanted?" Drewster mused, finding the situation almost funny. She and Snot Rod continued their pairing until they reached climax. Snot Rod pulled up next to Drewster. Both of their engines purred with satisfaction.

"I could get used to this," Drewster thought to herself. She closed her eyes and pressed in close to Snot Rod, who was grinning from headlight to headlight. They both fell asleep, snuggled next to each other.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Outside the abandoned garage, the three tuners decided they had better find another place to sleep.

"Did yo see that?" Wingo giggled.

"Yeah," Boost replied. "Snot boy was getting' it on!"

"Oh, man!" DJ said and looked around. "Hey, how 'bout over there?" He motioned towards an empty shop across the road. The three of them drove over and entered the old building.

"Cool," Boost said as he surveyed the room. "This will do. I am exhausted."

They settled down inside the old shop for the night and soon drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Drewster and Snot Rod awoke and emerged from the old garage, yawning and stretching.

"Did you sleep okay?" Snot Rod asked.

"Yeah," Drewster answered. "You?"

"Not bad," Snot Rod replied as he looked around. "Where are the guys?"

Inside the abandoned shop, the three tuners began stirring. Wingo poked his sleepy friends.

"Yo, homies! Wake up!"

DJ and Boost, reluctant to waken, replied in unison. "Shaddup, man!" Wingo poked at DJ again.

"Seriously, we gotta bounce before we get busted again," Wingo complained. "And I don't wanna pull that fuckin' paving machine no more."

"Alright, man," DJ groaned. "Just quit pokin' me already."

Boost rolled over to the door and peered out at the garage across the street. "We gotta check on the love birds," he commented.

They drove out of the shop and met up with Drewster and Snot Rod. Wingo grinned and winked at Snot Rod, who blushed.

"Ahahahaha!" Wingo laughed and nudged the 'Cuda. "Way to go, Snotty!"

"Hey, what's your name?" Boost asked the Firebird. "Wanna join us?"

Drewster hesitated. Even though the Viper was about her size, there was something intimidating about him.

"I'm Drewster," she answered, then looked toward the other three and back at Boost.

"C'mon," Wingo coaxed. "Have fun wit' us!"

"Please?" Snot Rod begged.

"Okay, guys," Drewster agreed. "Thanks."

DJ nervously looked toward the town. "We better go before Sheriff sees us," he said.

"Let's bounce!" Boost commanded and the five cars drove down Route 66 toward the interstate. They entered the highway, driving in formation, and headed for Nitropolis, Boost's hometown. They approached some traffic, and Boost decided to test Drewster.

"Follow me," he called back to her. Drewster pulled up behind Boost, while DJ, Wingo and Snot Rod fell in behind her in single file. They darted in and out of traffic, showing off their handling skills, except for Snot Rod, who occasionally fell out of formation when he sneezed. With the road to themselves again, they formed a diamond with Drewster in the center.

"Hey, yo!" DJ remarked, smiling at her. "That was OFF-DA-HOOK!"

"We used to play that back home," Drewster replied. "Follow-The-Leader. I was usually the leader!"

They laughed and continued down the highway. DJ blasted music from his sound system as they continued to play Follow-The-Leader and annoyed other cars, who honked and yelled at them. Drewster was enjoying herself for the first time in a long time.

Soon, the group decided to pull off in a small town for some fuel. They were still quite a ways from Nitropolis, and they were getting thirsty, too. They had just exited onto the side road, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a car barreled toward them from a cross street. Before Boost could react, the probably suicidal car T-boned him, and sent him spinning out into a ditch, flipped onto his side. The suicidal car had taken a direct hit to his front end and flipped several times before ending upside down in the ditch.)

"FUCK!!" Wingo yelled, shaken.

DJ's lip quivered and he drove over to where Boost was lying. The others followed, visibly distraught.

"Aw, man," DJ sobbed. "Boost? …man…."

"Boost," Snot Rod called. "You okay?"

Boost was severely banged up and was bleeding fluids from his injuries. He was motionless, except for two wheels, which were still spinning. By this time, several other cars had stopped to help or just look.

DJ panicked and began driving around in circles, aimlessly. "What are we gonna DO?" he cried.

One of the onlookers called for help on his cell phone, while another drove over to check on the other car, who was also motionless, lying in a growing pool of oil and fluids. Many of the onlookers tried to offer condolences to the upset tuners.

"Help is on the way," one of them assured.

"Boost is dead," Snot Rod sniffled, tears pouring from his eyes. Drewster nuzzled him and leaned against him, and let her own tears fall. DJ and Wingo joined them.

"Why, why," DJ wailed. "WHY?!"

"We love you, man," Wingo sobbed.

Boost stirred slightly and tried to motion a tire at the grief-stricken group. He moaned lowly, in tremendous pain. He tried to speak, but could only whisper. "Guys," he groaned. It was all he could say. He groggily looked at his friends, a tear rolling down his hood, then slipped into unconsciousness.

"BOOST!" Wingo cried. "Yo is alive!"

DJ watched Boost lose consciousness. "Aw, man...don't die on us, man..," he pleaded.

An ambulance arrived and began tending to Boost. Several police cruisers, including Sheriff, also foun their way to the scene. Sheriff recognized the group of tuners.

"What in the blue blazes happened?" he exclaimed, shocked.

Drewster approached him. "Oh, Sheriff," she lamented. 'A car came out of nowhere and hit Boost! And now, LOOK at him!"

"OK, kids, try and stay calm," Sheriff said. "An officer will take your statements, so try to remember what exactly happened. I'm going to go check on the other car."

One of the police cruisers approached Sheriff after tending to the other car. "He is deceased," he informed Sheriff. "How's the tuner kid?"

"He's badly injured," Sheriff replied. "Damn! Don't know if he'll make it." He shook his hood in dismay as a coroner van pulled up to tend to the deceased car.

Boost was being loaded onto a flatbed truck with an oxygen mask over his air vents and an intrafuel (IF) line started. The ambulance told the flatbed to take Boost into Radiator Springs, the closest town with a doctor on call.

"Doc Hudson is the best," the ambulance said. "He's waiting for us."

The flatbed and the ambulance raced toward Radiator Springs, with Boost's life hanging in the balance. Sheriff escorted the tuners and they followed the flatbed, each one hoping Boost would survive.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Back in Radiator Springs at Doc's clinic, Doc, Sally, Flo and Guido prepared for the arrival of the medic and the badly injured Boost.

"Okay, everyone," Doc said. "We've got a critical patient on the way, so we need to act fast."

"I've never done anything like this before," Sally said nervously. "I mean, I've represented accident victims, but never worked on them."

"Don't you worry, honey," reassured Flo. "I studied nursing before I went into show business."

"That's nice to know," Sally sighed, relieved.

"Guido, I need you to be ready with those instruments. Time is essential," Doc said as the sirens approached. "Okay, let's do this!"

The four cars rushed out to meet the ambulance and the flatbed truck. The medic assisted them in getting Boost into the exam room.

"Oh, NO!" Sally exclaimed. "That's one of those tuner kids that Sheriff arrested last week! Oh, dear…he looks terrible!"

"Guido! Flo!" Doc ordered. "Help me get him onto the lift."

As Doc and the others frantically worked on Boost, Sheriff and the other racers drove up. The four tuners were quite emotional, especially Boost's closest friend, DJ, who was almost inconsolable. The commotion stirred up the residents of Radiator Springs, who began to gather around Doc's clinic.

"What's all the hoopla?" Lizzie asked, confused.

"Bad accident," replied Mater. "Someone got hurt real bad."

McQueen joined Lizzie and Mater. "Hey, aren't those the tuners who were here all week?" He motioned toward the four upset delinquents.

"Maybe they was in the wreck," Mater commented and watched the action in front of the clinic.

Ramone, Mack, Luigi and Red rolled up and joined the group. Red wore a very concerned look but was silent.

"Oh, it's-a bad!" Luigi cried, very emotional.

"Yeah, man," Ramone added. "One of those punk racers got hit real bad!"

"Whoa!! Which one?" McQueen queried, shocked.

"Ehhhh…it was the leader," Mack replied. "The one with all the boost canisters. He's really banged up."

"Whut happened?" Mater asked, concerned.

"Some loco dude slammed into him," Ramone answered. "They're saying it was probably suicide."

Sarge and Fillmore drove up, having just heard the news from Sheriff.

"Man, this is totally bummer," Fillmore lamented. Sarge shook his head sadly.

The concerned cars drove over to the group of street racers and tried to offer words of comfort and find out what had happened. The racers were tightly huddled together but were quite appreciative of the townsfolk's well-wishes.

Doc and his staff continued to work on Boost. His injuries were so severe that, at times, it appeared he wouldn't pull through. But because of Doc's quick thinking and exemplary medical skills, things began to look up for the injured Viper. Several hours later, Boost had stabilized, but was still unconscious and hooked up to life support.

"Whew, that was close," Doc sighed with relief. "Flo, can you monitor him tonight? He's not out of the woods yet."

"No problem, Doc," Flo responded confidently. "Flo will take good care of him!"

"Thank you, Sally and Guido, for your help as well," Doc said. "I'd better go tell his friends he will be alright."

Outside the clinic, a very anxious crowd awaited the news. Doc drove up to the wide-eyed street racers, and the rest of the cars pulled in closer to hear the news.

"It was touch-and-go for a while," Doc told them. "But he's going to make it."

The crowd cheered and gathered around the delinquents, who sighed and clung to each other in relief.

"Looks like you kids are gonna be staying in Radiator Springs for a while," Sheriff said to them. "And, no, we won't make you do community service."

"Should I take 'em to the impound lot?" Mater asked.

"No, Mater," Sheriff answered. "They've been through enough already. We'll find them somewhere else to stay."

"What about that old garage out behind Lizzie's shop?" McQueen suggested. "You know, the one I was looking at for my racing headquarters."

Sheriff's face lit up. "Perfect, McQueen. Good thinking, kid. It's certainly roomy enough for them." He turned to the tuners. "Come on, kids. You need to rest. Doc's taking good care of your friend."

The exhausted racers thanked Sheriff, and followed him to the garage, where they collapsed and fell asleep.

Sheriff quietly closed the door. "Goodnight, kids," he whispered.

"You're not worried they'll take off?" McQueen asked.

"Naw," Sheriff replied. "They won't leave their friend. They'll stay put."

"Goodnight, Sheriff," said McQueen.

"Goodnight, McQueen."

Radiator Springs once again became quiet as everyone retired for the night.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

It was a still night in Radiator Springs. There was a full moon in the sky and Drewster was restless. She, DJ, Wingo and Snot Rod had been staying in the old garage, while Boost was under the care of Doc. Boost had finally been released from the clinic and began staying with the rest of the group in the old garage.

Drewster shifted on her tires, frustrated at the inability to sleep. She looked around at the rest of the tuners, who were all asleep, but noticed Boost was absent. She snuck out of the garage and drove along Main Street, hoping to make herself sleepy.

Movement down one of the side streets caught Drewster's eye and she stopped. Boost slowly approached her; the moonlight danced off his new iridescent violet paint job, courtesy of Ramone.

"Hey, Boost," Drewster said quietly. "What are you doing out this time of night?"

"I dunno," Boost muttered. "What about you?"

It had been a couple of weeks since the accident and Boost was recovering remarkably well, thanks to Doc. Yet, he had become moody and had lost some of his self confidence. He often distanced himself from the group and was short-tempered the times he joined them.

"I guess the full moon is keeping me awake tonight," Drewster commented. She studied Boost for a second. He seemed pensive. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"I been thinking," he said, then looked around, spotting an abandoned warehouse down a side street. "C'mon. Follow me." Boost took off down the road to the warehouse and went inside.

"What are we doing here?" Drewster asked as she entered behind him.

Moonlight streamed in through the broken windows and illuminated the sleek contours of both cars. Boost pulled in very close to Drewster, backing her up against a wall. Her instincts told her where his actions were leading, and she gulped nervously.

"Since I'm the leader of this gang," Boost began, pushing in even closer, "I need to initiate you."

Drewster was backed into a corner, and Boost started passionately kissing her. She pulled away for a second.

"Boost, we shouldn't."

"Don't say no," Boost said. He held her with his tires and continued to kiss her. He felt her relax and give into him.

"Boost…please…don't…," Drewster half-heartedly pleaded, but found it hard to conceal her attraction to him, and her engine purred in ecstasy as he had his way with her.

"You are now officially a member," Boost said when they finished. He rolled up alongside Drewster. He reached a tire out to touch her but hesitated. "Goodnight," he said and drove off.

Drewster watched him drive away, savoring the experience she just had with him. He was so good, she thought to herself, but then a flood of mixed emotions came over her. She felt guilty over her recent trysts with DJ, Wingo, and now Boost, and that she had somehow betrayed Snot Rod.

"I hope Snotty doesn't find out," she mumbled to herself as she drove back to the garage. She parked next to Snot Rod, and drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

--

Morning broke and Wingo's laugh could be heard echoing through the trees in the woods behind the garage. Snot Rod and Drewster were parked outside, looking toward the woods, when DJ emerged from the garage and joined them.

"Whassup with Wingo?" he asked, blinking.

"I dunno," Snot Rod answered. "He's been out there for a while."

"Ahahahahahahahaha!!" laughed Wingo.

"I think he's had too much coffee," Drewster guessed. Wingo roared with laughter again from the woods.

"Nah," DJ said. "Is he burning stuff again?"

The three cars looked at each other, then out toward the woods.

"WINGO!!" they all yelled in unison, as if on cue.

"Shaddup!" Wingo shouted. "I'm on the phone!"

DJ, Snot Rod and Drewster looked at each other and shrugged.

"He never talks on the phone," Snot Rod commented.

"Yeah," agreed DJ. "That's not Wingnut's style."

Drewster grinned. "Maybe he's talking to a girl," she suggested.

DJ and Snot Rod looked at her and shook their hoods. "Nahhhhh," they both said.

Wingo emerged from the woods, grinning. He paused in front of his puzzled friends.

"Whut?!" he questioned and drove into the garage. The three watched him as he drove back out, obviously very happy about something.

"Okay, Wingo," DJ said. "Whaddup?"

"Yeah," Snot Rod added. "You hate talking on the phone."

Wingo drove madly around the group and was barely able to contain himself.

"Dude! Stay still already!" DJ scolded.

"I got a girlfriend!" Wingo excitedly announced.

"I told you it was a girl!" Drewster said, poking DJ. "I rest my case!"

"So who is it?" asked Snot Rod. "Tell us, man."

"Her name is Candy!" Wingo answered, driving in circles. "She is so cute!"

DJ rolled his eyes. "Okay, this is crazy, man!" he mumbled.

"Hey," said Snot Rod, looking around. "Where's Boost?"

"Boost is on cloud nine," Wingo said, bouncing around. "Wingo's on cloud ten!"

"Can it, Wingo!" DJ snarled, annoyed. "How much coffee have you had?"

"Ten cups!!" Wingo gleefully did donuts around his friends and giggled.

Snot Rod stared at Wingo. "More like ten nitrous canisters," he remarked.

"Speaking of nitrous," Drewster began, "I haven't seen Boost since last night, just before we went to sleep." She pretended she hadn't seen Boost after that, but she did wonder why he never returned to the garage after their late night encounter. She became a little concerned.

"Maybe we should go look for him," Snot Rod said with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yeah. Let's leave mister "I'm So Happy" here," DJ snorted. "He drives me nuts sometimes."

"Is that why you call him 'Wingnut'?" Drewster asked.

"Something like that," replied DJ. "C'mon, let's find Boost."

He, Drewster and Snot Rod drove off in search of their leader. Wingo noticed them leave and chased after them.

"Hey! Wait for me!" he shouted, speeding to catch up with the group.


	6. Chapter 6

DJ, Snot Rod and Drewster drove off in search of Boost. Wingo, who was left behind, raced to catch up with the three.

"Guys! Wait up!" Wingo called. "Can I come?"

"You gonna be calm?" DJ asked.

Wingo rolled his eyes. "Shit, man…yeah…."

"When did you say you saw Boost?" Snot Rod asked Drewster.

"Umm, before we went to sleep," Drewster replied. Did Snot Rod suspect something? She thought to herself.

"Wonder where he'd go?" DJ wondered aloud, looking around.

They drove down a side road toward Willys Butte. McQueen was out on the track, training with Doc. The racers stopped briefly to watch.

"Man, that looks like fun," Snot Rod said.

"Never mind," chided DJ. "We gotta find Boost."

What's wit' that guy lately?" Wingo mused.

"He's had a rough time," Drewster commented.

"C'mon, guys," DJ said. "Let's go."

--

Meanwhile, at Wheel Well, Boost was parked at the edge of the cliff. He watched the interstate traffic off in the distance with disinterest. He sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't notice Sally pull up beside him.

"Hey, Boost," she began softly. "What are you doing up here?"

"Nuthin'," Boost mumbled, not moving. He kept his eye closed, but a single tear rolled down his hood.

"You're not thinking of jumping, are you?" Sally asked, concerned. "I mean, you're doing so well."

"I dunno," Boost sighed.

About this time, the rest of the tuners arrived. Sally noticed them and motioned for them to stay back.

"Dude," Wingo whispered. "What the fuck?"

"Oh, crap!" Drewster exclaimed. "I hope he's not gonna jump."

Snot Rod turned away from the scene. "I don't wanna watch!" he cried.

Sally quietly approached the group, keeping an eye on the despondent Boost in her rear view mirrors.

"DJ, can you talk to him?" she asked. "He seems to listen to you. I'm going into town to get Doc." She took off at top speed.

DJ slowly drove over to Boost. "Hey, man…" he began.

"Leave me alone," Boost snapped and sank onto his tires.

"C'mon, buddy," DJ pleaded. "Me and the guys. We're nuthin' without you."

"Don't care…," Boost said and edged away from DJ, moving closer to the cliff edge. Some gravel tumbled over the precipice.

"Boost, don't do it, man," DJ trembled. "Everything's gonna get better."

Down the hill, Wingo, Drewster and Snot Rod huddled together in fear for their leader. Snot Rod was still facing away. He tightly closed his eyes and pressed into Drewster.

"No no no no…," he wailed. Wingo and Drewster stood silently in shock.

"Go away," Boost sobbed. "Just…go…away!"

DJ backed away from Boost slightly. "Come away from the cliff," he begged, trying not to cry. "We can't lose you, man."

"I miss you, Mom," Boost sobbed louder. Sally arrived with Doc and Mater.

"Mater, I need you to be ready with your tow cable," Doc said. "Just in case."

"You kin count on me," Mater replied.

"I sure hope Boost listens to DJ," Sally commented, fearing for Boost's safety. They pulled up alongside the racers and watched DJ try to coax Boost away from the cliff.

"Mater, move in a little closer," Doc said. "But don't let Boost see you."

"Uhhh, okay." Mater positioned himself so Boost would be within reach of his tow hook. Some of the Wheel Well Motel guests looked out their windows or had emerged from their rooms to see what was going on. Sally drove over to keep them quiet and away from the scene.

For what seemed like an eternity, everyone but Snot Rod watched DJ and Boost. Finally, Boost backed away from the cliff and collapsed against DJ. Both boys wept as they drove down the hill to the relieved group.

"I didn't think DJ was gonna get through that without getting' all emo…," Wingo whispered to Drewster.

"Well, whatever he said, worked," she observed.

"Is it over?" Snot Rod asked. He kept his eyes shut, afraid of what he might see.

"It's over," DJ answered. "Boost is safe."

Wingo, Drewster and Snot Rod gathered around Boost and nuzzled him. He sobbed and trembled, obviously quite distraught. Doc approached the tuners.

"Can you take him to the clinic?" Doc asked. "I just want to check him over."

"Sure, Doc," Drewster said.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Wingo inquired, puzzled.

Doc nodded. "I've seen this behavior after bad accidents," he replied. "Boost has a long way to go yet. He needs your support."

"Thanks, Doc," DJ said and sniffed back tears.

The racers headed back toward town, driving in a tight diamond formation with Boost in the center to protect him. Doc and Mater followed, and Sally returned to tending the motel.

"I'm glad I dint hafta use my tow cable," Mater stated, wagging his tow hook.

"Me too, Mater," Doc sighed with relief. "Me too!"


	7. Chapter 7

A few days had passed since Boost's attempt at suicide. The group had been keeping a close watch on him, but he hadn't made any more attempts. DJ had reminded him up on the cliff that his late mother would have been very sad if her son had taken his own life. However, Boost remained withdrawn and moody.

It was morning in Radiator Springs. As usual, Sarge's _Reveille_, followed by Fillmore's Hendrix, could be heard echoing through the town.

"Will you turn that disrespectful stuff OFF?!" Sarge yelled at his hippie neighbor.

"Respect the classics, man!" Fillmore shot back.

Inside the garage, the tuners began to stir. Snot Rod narrowly opened his eyes.

"Do we hafta hear that every morning?" he pondered sleepily.

"Mmmm hmmm," Drewster mumbled, still asleep.

Wingo, who had been up already, burst into the room. "Coffee's ready!!" he loudly announced.

DJ opened an eye. "Didya drink it all, already?" he asked as he watched Wingo flit around the room.

"C'mon, guys! Get up!" Wingo said, excitedly. "We get to race at Willys Butte today!!"

"Whose butt, now?" Drewster asked, barely awake.

"Ahahahahahaha!!" Wingo laughed and smacked her. "Yo is funny!"

"Owwww!" Drewster groaned. "Okay, chill! I'm awake."

Snot Rod drove over to Boost and poked him. Boost cracked open an eye.

"C'mon, Boostie," Snot Rod coaxed. "Let's go."

"Whatever…," Boost grumbled.

The five cars headed over to Flo's for breakfast, excited about the day's activities. Boost, however, was apathetic and moped along behind the group.

"Morning, y'all!" greeted Flo. "The usual?"

They nodded and were served their quarts of oil by the Mazda twins, Mia and Tia. They also got full tanks of gasoline. Doc and McQueen pulled up.

"Morning, kids!" Doc said cheerfully.

"Morning, Doc," the tuners replied. "Hey, McQueen!"

"Hi, guys! Looking forward to racing lessons?" he asked.

"You bet!" Drewster replied. "Can't wait!"

Doc, McQueen, and the tuners headed out to Willys Butte, where Doc was going to teach them dirt racing. Boost lagged behind, lost in his own world. DJ tried to coax him to join in, but to no avail.

"He just don't have his fuel pump in this," Wingo said.

"Don't push him, kids," Doc advised. "He'll be ready when he's ready."

Snot Rod, Drewster and Wingo excitedly lined up on the track with McQueen. DJ hung back with Boost.

"You don't hafta do this," DJ told him. "You can hang out and watch us."

"Yeah, okay," Boost said flatly. DJ gave him a friendly nudge, then joined the others on the track.

"Okay, kids," Doc began. "Today, we're going to work on drifting…."

"I know how to do that!" Wingo interrupted, bouncing around.

"No," Snot Rod said. "You don't…."

"Yes!" Wingo taunted. " I DO too!"

"Kids, pay attention," Doc instructed them. "This is dirt, so the technique is diff…."

"Hey, Snot-face, watch THIS!" Wingo said, paying no attention to Doc. He took off, missed the turn, and ended up over the side in the cactus. The rest of the group drove over to check on him.

"Oh, dear," Doc sighed.

"Yo, Wingo!" DJ called, looking over the edge. "You okay?"

"I TOLD you," Snot Rod chided. Drewster giggled.

"Shaddup, guys!" Wingo hissed. "Get me outta here!"

"I'll go get Mater," McQueen said, trying not to laugh, and drove off. A short while later, he returned with Mater, who towed Wingo out of the prickly pear patch. Wingo pouted, his ego visibly bruised.

"That's what happens when you get too excited!" Doc scolded Wingo. "Now let's learn the proper technique."

The racers practiced dirt track drifting. They all did remarkably well, including Wingo, who was an expert on asphalt. The real surprise came with Snot Rod, who mastered drifting by far the best of the four, considering he was made for drag racing.

"Hey, guys. That was pretty good," McQueen said. "What say we have a real race?"

"Hmmm. That might be fun," said Doc. "I'll get Luigi and Guido to help me organize one for tomorrow."

"What about Boost?" Wingo asked and looked over to where Boost was parked. Boost was staring blankly off into space.

McQueen squinted at Boost. "What about him?" he said. "He's welcome to watch."

"We need a prize," Doc said and pondered for a minute. "How about a set of fancy spinners from Luigi's store?"

The tuners' eyes widened and they looked at one another and McQueen.

"Cool!" DJ exclaimed.

"I'm thirsty," McQueen said. "Let's go get something to drink. I know a cool place. Follow me."

"Hey, Boost!" Drewster called to him. "You comin'?"

Boost slowly pulled up to the group, staring at the ground.

"I'm buying," McQueen offered, trying to get Boost more enthused.

"Yeah…," Boost said quietly. "Okay."

McQueen led the racers to a popular little pub in town, called the Foggy Windshield, for a round of ethanol. Boost trailed along behind the rest of the group, silent.

--

At the Foggy Windshield, McQueen and the tuners became friends. They had managed to get Boost to join in a little, but were careful not to let him drink too much.

"So, McQueen…," DJ began.

"Hey, call me Lightning," McQueen said.

"Okay, Lightning," DJ continued. "How'd you end up here?"

"Yeah, a race car and all," Wingo added.

"It's kinda funny," McQueen laughed. "You wouldn't believe it!"

"Try us!" Drewster said and winked.

"Well, I was on my way to California for a tie-breaker race…," McQueen related how he and his driver, Mack, got separated on the interstate. Neither he nor the tuners realized that they were responsible for the mishap.

"I was speeding through town," McQueen continued, "and Sheriff began chasing me. I freaked out and kinda wrecked the town. Next thing I know, I have to re-pave the road."

"Yeah, that's what happened to us," DJ stated.

"I know," McQueen said. "I felt your pain! Hey, Drewster, you weren't part of the gang at first. How did you get here?"

"It's like this," Drewster replied. "I was kinda running away. I was in trouble back in L.A. for illegal street racing."

"One of us, yo!" Wingo interjected.

"I just started driving down Route 66," she continued, giving Wingo a kick. "I stopped here to refuel, then I met the boys here, and, well, here I am!"

"I dunno if we're really welcome here," DJ remarked and shrugged.

"I wasn't at first, either," McQueen said. "But these folks are kind and have big hearts. Look at how well they've cared for Boost."

"Yeah…," Boost said quietly, sipping his ethanol and staring off into space.

The group looked at him sympathetically. DJ gave Boost a friendly pat and the cars continued to exchange stories well into the evening.


End file.
